[video] Long interview with JVG, Yao, TMac after 4/7 practice

Dude, are you arguing that THIS team has MORE killer instinct than that team, cuz that's all im saying...

I mean Sura/Mike James were some bulldogs, I just don't see the same coming out of nice guys like Alston/Battier...I also think Tmac was more of a leader in 04-05 than he is now. His attitude seems to have slipped a little.

 

that team blew a 2-0 lead. blew 8 pt leads in the 4th quarter of games 3 and 4.

this team, believe it or not, is more equipped to finish games. at least when we blow leads, we still manage to win most of the time.

and i dont think we blew any lead when tmac was healthy (yao was out). as long as tmac plays well, we won't blow many leads, esp. w/ yao playing the way he is.

 

I'm glad Van Gundy called out T-Mac and Yao(especially T-Mac). This could very well cost him his job, but it's worth the risk. Sorry to say it, but through the first 10 and 5 years of their respective careers, T-Mac and Yao are losers. That's not to say they're not talented individuals and don't play hard, but they haven't really accomplished anything of importance yet.

To get to that next level(and round of the playoffs), it takes desire and dedication and at times it appears T-Mac and Yao don't have it. Whether it's a blown 4th quarter lead at home or a lackadaisical performance against a vastly inferior team in New Orleans or Atlanta, it's happened too many times with these guys. Never mind the come from ahead 2-0 collapse against Dallas 2 years ago culminating in that infamous 40-point blowout in Game 7.

Sure, having a guy like Bob Sura would help this team in terms of grit and toughness. But ultimately it's on T-Mac and Yao to lead this organization back to a place they haven't even sniffed in a decade. And the way to do that is by having a killer instinct. By understanding the importance of home court advantage in the first round. By coming out strong in a must win game against your inevitable playoff opponent. Basically the exact opposite of what we've seen in the past week and a half from these guys.

Can Van Gundy give them this through pep talks in the locker room and verbal smackdowns to the press? Unfortunately no. He can awaken that hunger and desire if it's laying dormant in them somewhere. But if they don't have it inside, then the team is doomed to experience nothing but failure in the playoffs as long as it's built around T-Mac and Yao.

I'm very interested to witness what the aftermath of these interviews and recent home losses will be. It's either gonna end really ugly or be the beginning of something special in Houston. As a longtime Rockets fan, I hope to God it's the latter.

 

Remember the Spurs,Nuggets,Pistons, Mavericks, and Jazz games? They all came back and beat us except for the pistons who came damn close. Losing 4th quarter leads has been our theme this year.

 

ONe day JVG says HCA doesn't matter all that much, and now he reverses himself? Weird.

Anyway, I think Bonzi is getting his chance - so it appears he has a chance to make the playoff rotation. Doesn't seem VSPAN has it though.

Frankly, I don't see us moving to 4 now that there are so few games left and we are essentially 3 games back. Unless Utah keeps losing and we somehow go on a tear - with a few though games remaining to be sure - we will be playing on the road...

 

i love t-mac, but in his interview it seemed like he was doing exactly what jvg talked about, where players may say all the right things, but it doesn't show their actions. seemed like t-mac just finished getting browbeat by jvg, like he was reluctantly put back in line by jvg, and was re-affirming/reminding himself of what he had failed to realize the past few games. (killer instinct, etc)

on the other hand, the interview of jvg is revelatory. at first i'd thought maybe jvg orchestrated the recent tank job, but now it's clear jvg did nothing of the sort. instead, maybe worse, it looks like jvg has lost the team over the past few games. what do you do when your top two employees start lollygagging? not much he can do i guess except hope they change their tune. oh, and i guess also he can resort to giving them a good talking to in practice (or so i'm assuming), and also calling them out in the press.

"two years ago, we were much nastier (and wouldn't just coast to close out the season like this)" when he said this, first three words that came to mind: bobby freakin' sura. not to mention mike james, and to a lesser extent jon barry.

oh, and how about the jab at francis and mobley lol.

so much drama so late in the year *tsk tsk tsk*. i hope we can right the ship and make a run at this thing.

 

The 04-05 Rox proved that ultimately they had no more "killer instinct" than the current Rox are showing. On the biggest stage with the biggest advantage imagineable (up 2-0), they allowed the Mavs to do what only one other team had done and then lost game 7 by a record margin. So, yes, I am saying that the 04-05 Rox have nothing over the current Rox in terms of a "killer instinct." In fact, that team came real close to just plain choking given their playoff lead (in terms of both game and points up in games they ultimately lost). It kills me to say it too, b/c I loved that team, but the truth is the truth.

Here's to the 06-07 Rox returning us to Clutch City. Man I hope so!

 

well it's also pretty good to have talent. i dont think kobe or wade would even sniff the 2nd round (or wade the playoffs for that matter if he didn't have shaq).

so yea, that helps i guess.

 

Utah lost tonight! Still a little chance to steal HC

 

Yao "lollygagging?" I can't think of a more diligent, dedicated worker than Yao. Just plain wrong.

 

what the hell is wrong w/ utah? 39-16 in the 4th to a sonic team playing last night.

man, we might not even need homecourt.

b/c really, they got lucky beating us w/ only yao showing up for 3.5 quarters.

 

i liked it when JVG said all media interviews are Bullsh!t

 

wade got out of the first round as a rookie, without shaq....

 

lol

JVG is getting in all of you guys, thats what he does best!

fire his ass!

 

ok you're right, for whatever reason i lumped in yao with t-mac since they were both sitting out with what were thought to be phantom injuries after they both sucked in the gsw game. but i did some searching and it looks like yao's injury was legit, so i take it back, my bad.

 

odom, young jones, butler, mourning? i think that's PLENTY of talent

please, really research your stuff before posting. just please. don't look at hey he got out of the first round. he advanced. look the the team makeup PLEASE

 

I cannot imagine Yao himself request not playing if he weren't sure it was the best thing to do for the team.

Chance is all this is B.S.. Rox wanted to rest Tamc and Yao and get them 100% healthy, but they don't want to admit it.

 

i liked the candid interview with JVG. Is it me or does his intervew feel like a swan song?

I have no doubt Yao's going to kick it up another notch these next couple of games. He looked a like he just took a good talking to by JVG, and took it to heart.

Tmac...wow . Its hard to say wth i s going on. I think TMac is the best 2 guard in the league. I just dont think he is good enough to coast the rest of the season and 'turn it on' come playoffs.

 

Yao was/is injured. This is not rest or a tank job.

 

the timing of both injuries is suspect (i think both were fake or exaggerated). However, I think Yao didnt like the "lollygagging" too much. TMac however, ...